The Last Marauder
by Rowan Arkenson
Summary: sirius and remus remember their friends, lily and james potter. just a short thing, but id appreciate it if youd review or email me with your thoughts. thanks. : short,finished


**The Last Marauder**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the general story or characters of Harry Potter; JK Rowling does. "Every step I take" was originally written by Sting and was re-done by Puff Daddy. I do not claim over any ownership other than the base of this story.**

**_Every step I take  
Every move I make  
Every single day  
Every time I pray  
I'll be missing you_**

**_Thinking of the day  
When you went away  
What a life to take  
What a bond to break  
I'll be missing you_**

Sirius looks up to the falling rain dripping off his hooded cloak. He's cold, and he shivers, slightly and accidentally moving the person next to him. No protest is given.

_"Hello." A shy wave of the hand. "I'm Lily Evans."_

Sirius looks to the left of him. Remus turns to look back at him. Sirius sees in his friend's eyes what he can only assume is reflected in his own. He looks away again quickly. He'd promised himself he wouldn't cry…

_"Hi Lily, nice to meet you._ I'm Sirius Black…"__

Why they had chosen this day of all days was a mystery to Sirius. It was in the middle of January – of course it was going to be cold and wet.

_"…and these are my friends – Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and this here's James Potter…"_

_A hand reaches out. Slowly. Another grabs it. Two eyes – a set of brown, a set of green – met – locked._

The main speaker should really be someone like Dumbledore. Sirius frowns, chewing over this thought. Dumbledore certainly knew James and Lily better than old Fudge does. Just because James was going to start working for him…

_"So, James – do you lead this ragged bunch of yours?"_

_"Naturally.__ I'm all they have."_

_Laughter.__ A warm protest. "Hey – I thought I was the leader here!"_

Sirius closes his eyes.

_"Sorry Sirius, mate – but we all know you aren't the most intelligent of the group."_

A small smile escapes Sirius' mouth. His mind flashes forward.

_"So, Prongs – who are you taking to the ball?"___

_"No one…"_

_"Do not lie – none of us knows when we're going, and you don't wanna end up in hell, do you?"_

Sirius sighs. He hopes James and Lily are somewhere safe.

_"Shut up, Moony."_

_"Come on then Prongs; every one else seems to know apart from us. Are we that dumb?"_

_"I guess Lily must have told a few people…"_

_"Lily?"_

Remus coughed slightly. Sirius looks up. It's over. The service has finished. "That's it," Remus said, clapping his best friend on the shoulder. "That's it."

_"Lily, will you go to the ball with me?_

Sirius cleared his throat. "Yep – yep, that's…that's it…"

_"Lily, will you marry me?"_

Remus glances down at Sirius' shoes and looks up, laughing. "Your shoes are soaked!"

_"Oh James, of course I will!"_

Sirius grins. "Remember what James said –"

Remus grins back. " 'Shoes are a lot like bananas. Squishy and yellow.' "

Sirius' smile goes. "He came up with a lot of weird things didn't he…"

_"Mate, he's so – dare I say it – beautiful! Who's a goochy-goochy diddy-dums?"_

_A laugh.__  "Thanks Padfoot – but you're scaring me. Please stop."_

_"So, what are you going to call him?"_

_"Harry."_

"Is Harry alright?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. Dumbledore said he would make sure he went to an appropriate home."

A groan is let out. "I hope he doesn't go to that god-awful sister of Lily's…"

_Laughter.__ The most beautiful sound you could ever possibly hope to hear coming from a baby's mouth. "Did you hear that? Did you hear that? He laughed!"_

_"Calm down, mate…"_

_"Someone get Lily. Peter – go get Lily!"_

_Another laugh._ Someone rushes from the room. "Who would've thought it, eh? James – being the first one of us to settle down. Crazy. Just crazy – he was the stupidest one of us all!"__

Sirius shook his head softly as the sound of his own voice echoed inside his head. He desperately tried to hold on to the memories, but they were slipping…fast…

A hand was put on Sirius' shoulder, and he turned to see ten Ministry Officials standing behind him, accompanied by Dumbledore and Fudge. "Goodbye, Sirius," said Dumbledore kindly. "I shall miss you terribly."

Sirius nodded, choking on his own words. Dumbledore walked away.

_"Lily! Take Harry and go!"_

"Moony. I…"

"I know, Padfoot. Me too."

_"It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off…"_

A single tear runs down Sirius' cheek. "I don't want to go," he whispers to Remus. "I didn't do anything…"

_A bang, a scream…_

"Come on Padfoot – you've gotta be brave. What would Prongs say if he could see you now?"

_"Not Harry…"_

"I will get you out of there," said Remus, whispering. "I swear I will."

"What I horrible coincidence Peter isn't here," Sirius said angrily, spitting on the ground.

_"Not Harry! Please, not Harry!"_

Sirius was thankful for the words, though he knew they were empty and meaningless. A ministry official put a binding spell on Sirius. "Sirius Black I am arresting you under the law and imprisonment of Azkaban for your part in the murders of Lily and James Potter."

_"Stand aside you silly girl, stand aside now…"_

"Goodbye, my friend." Sirius and Remus hug, tight, for the last time, clapping each other on the back. When they pull apart, Sirius and the ministry officials have gone, disappeared.__

_"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead!"_

Remus turns around and slowly kneels on the grave by which he was standing. He breaks down, and the tears fall from his eyes. He cries for the friend he lost through lust of corruptive power; he cries for the friend he lost through unfair and absurd imprisonment; and he cries for the friends he lost though the unfair and untimely cause of death.

_"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…"_

Remus was the only one left. The last one alive and safe and free. The last marauder.

_"Avra Kadavra!"_

**Here lies the grave of Lily and James Potter.**

**May they lie together**

**Forever together**

**Forever in eternal happiness**

**Forever by each other's sides**

**And Forever remembered in their happy lives**

**_Every step I take  
Every move I make  
Every single day  
Everytime I pray  
I'll be missing you_**

**_Thinking of the day  
When you went away  
What a life to take  
What a bond to break  
I'll be missing you_**


End file.
